


Fire Escapes Are For Smoking

by actualPrincess



Series: Tales from The Apartment [3]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Apartment AU, College AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-11
Updated: 2015-12-11
Packaged: 2018-05-06 05:24:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5404634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/actualPrincess/pseuds/actualPrincess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jake English isn't good at handling his feelings. Dirk smokes because he needs a break.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fire Escapes Are For Smoking

“I thought you'd quit.” Jake says with a smile, slipping out onto the fire escape from his open window. He'd heard Dirk's window open and the creak of metal as the other man stepped out of the building. Dumb luck that one of the two fire escapes connected their rooms. Perhaps Jane had known it would be beneficial for the friends.

Dirk let out a steady stream of smoke, tapping ash from his cigarette into the grate.

“Nah, just quit smoking where you could see.” Jake watches him silently bring the cylinder to his lips and draw in the burning smoke. As much as he disliked smoking, there was always something distinctly elegant in Dirk's practice of it.

Jake had always thought you could tell a lot about a person by their hands. His own rough and calloused from years on the island, jades were similarly worn, fingers short. Made for physical things. He glanced over at his friend's hand, long finger tapping gently on a cigarette butt. He'd always thought that must be why Dirk hides his hands under those gloves. Long slim fingers, perfect for electronics and tinkering with complex things. He probably had softer callouses on his palms from training with a sword. The leather from the gloves forming some protection from wear. Jake found himself wanting to take his friend's hand, and just feel over the skin. He mentally shook himself, directing his gaze back into the night sky. A gentle waft of smoke slipping up into the darkness in the corner of his eye.

“Are you coming over tonight?” He said, glancing at Dirk, who shrugged.

“Got a bunch of shit I'm working on. Not much time to sleep.”

“But time to smoke?” He hears quiet laughter next to him, not daring to look at his friend. Dirk's smiles and laughter were rare, something that was gone as soon as Jake looked. So he didn't, hoping to draw out the moment.

“Stress relief. Nicotine helps me work.” You hear Dirk take a final drag of the cigarette and flick it off the fire escape.

“Window’s always open chum.” Dirk ruffles Jake's hair, he feels like the slim fingers linger just a bit in too long before moving away as Dirk opens his window.

“Thanks man, gotta get all this stuff done though, so I probably won't be sleeping.” There's a thud as Dirk slips back into his room, and another as the window closes. Jake rests his forehead against the cold metal guard of the fire escape, closing his eyes to feel the cool night air. He can hear the quiet thump of bass through the wall, and cars going down Main Street.

Slowly Jake stands up and drops back through the window of his own room, leaving it open for the breeze. Checking the clock, he grabs his toothbrush and heads to the bathroom across the hall.

Roxy’s already in there brushing her teeth, she waves at him in the mirror. Jake smiles, parking himself at the sink next to her. Times like these he’s glad for the communal rest rooms. Roxy spits into the sink, rinsing off her toothbrush and brushing the excess paste off her teeth with the water.

“Dave’s already getting on people’s asses about rent.” She says, nodding at the familiar red marker scrawled along the sides of the mirror. John’s already replaced a few words and drawn pictures all over it in his signature blue. 

“No complaints about it though, I hope.” Roxy shakes her head, as he starts brushing his teeth.

“Nah, people are pretty happy with Jane’s rates, only a few people that actually need the prodding.” Jake nods, not bothering to respond with something in his mouth. “Everyone seems pretty happy for the time being. Even Jade and Carcino seem to be working stuff out, kinda weird.” Jake spits into the sink, cupping his hands in a makeshift cup for water.

“That’s good, I can’t remember the last time Jade wasn’t screaming at her television over that silly game.” He says with a smile, Roxy snorting next to him.

“They’re gonna have some angry sex.” Jake raises an eyebrow at her, confused. “Oh come on Jakey, no one as friendly as Jade let’s someone make them that mad.”

Jake shrugs, checking his teeth in the mirror, and fixing his hair back into place. It was still messed up from talking with Dirk.

“So DStri is locked in his room, then.” Roxy says casually, leaning against the sink. Jake’s eyes look over at her in the mirror.

“He has a project or something he’s working on. I didn’t inquire too far, he seemed busy.” He rubs his eyes idly under his glasses, not really in the mood to talk about that particular Strider.

“You saw him? Dude’s been stuffed away since, like, four this afternoon.”

“He was on the escape for a ciggy.” 

“I thought he quit.” Jake shrugs in response, releasing a sigh.

“Apparently they help him work, he’s pulling an all-nighter again.” He says. Roxy smiles sympathetically, patting his shoulder.

“First night in a while without a bedmate.”

“It’s not like that Roxy.” Jake says tired suddenly.

“I know, I’m just teasing ya’. You feelin’ alright Jakey?” She says, cupping his face to check his pupils and palor. Roxy’s always been empathetic to him, willing to listen out of genuine concern rather than polite convention. 

“I’m fine, don’t worry. I’m just tired.” She frowns, pulling his face down to press her cheek to his forehead. Mom method, she calls it. Always the first to notice if people are getting sick, Jake’s always thought Roxy was too perceptive for any of their own good. She and John. The first people to usher others off to bed and bring soup to sick tenants. Though, both were a bit more aggressive in their care taking than necessary and practical, Jane usually swooped in to save the day in the end. She pulled away, satisfied for the moment.

“You don’t feel warm. Don’t push yourself too hard tomorrow.”

“I won’t, mother.” Roxy grinned, smacking his arm.

“Shut up, go watch a movie or something.”

“Right-o.” Jake laughed, tipping an imaginary hat to his friend, who dipped into a curtsy with another snort. He left the bathroom and walked back to his room, stopping outside Dirk’s and pressing his hand to the door. He could feel the bass through the wood, the soundproofing preventing him from hearing the music. He wondered idly, why he was feeling so sentimental about this whole ordeal.

Maybe it was because the last time he’d seen Dirk smoke was in high school. That sounded right. The day Dirk had told him he loved him. Jake had felt more scared than anything else, which thinking back, Dirk could probably see.

“It’s ok man, I know you don’t feel the same. Just needed to get it out, you feel? We’re still bros, don’t look so worried.” He’d said pushing Jake’s shoulder. Why was he remembering that now though? Was it just because Dirk was smoking again? That had to be it.

“Jake?” The familiar voice shook him out of his thought. Jake took his hand off the door hurriedly, looking over to see who was addressing him. John, leaning out the door of his room, and looking at him with slight confusion.

“Shouldn’t English be spooning my bro or something about now?” The other Strider said, poking his head out of John’s room. John rolled his eyes.

“Shouldn’t you be in your own room Dave?” John said with a hint of annoyance.

“Point taken Egbert. However, you and I both know I need your alarm to actually get up.” Dave grinned, poking John’s side. “No judgements dude, I know you love me.” John sighed dramatically, smiling. Jake felt a shot of envy go through him.

“I’m going to bed.” He said more sharply than he intended. John’s smile fell slightly, as Jake slipped into his room, closing the door loudly behind him.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it Egbutt, he’s just jealous of our mad bro cuddling.” Came Dave’s muffled voice through the door, followed quickly by shushing noises from John. Jake leaned against his closed door, letting out a breath. Feeling the breeze from the open window brushing over his skin. He was tempted to close it, more out of spite than necessity.

Instead he stripped off his shirt, changing into pyjama pants, and climbing into bed. He took off his glasses and set them on his bedside table, clicking off the light, and settling down to sleep.

***

His window closing shook Jake out of his sleep, only because he had been expecting it, sitting up with bleary eyes blinking against the darkness of the room.

“What time is it?” He mumbles, pushing the palm of his hand against one of his eyes to rub the sleep out.

“Almost quarter to four.” Dirk replied, his voice sounded the same even when he was being quiet, Jake noted. Jake flopped back against the bed with a sigh, feeling the mattress dip beside him. A hand, ungloved, pat his side prompting him to scoot to the other side of the bed.

“Don’t you have a class at eight?” Jake yawned, listening to the rustle of fabric as he slid over in the bed.

“Three hours of sleep is better than none, bro.” Jake heard him take off his shades and set them with a tap on the nightstand. He desperately wanted to turn on a light of some sort, actually see his friend’s eyes, see what he was feeling for once. He pressed his back against the wall as Dirk slipped under the covers.

This was normal, Jake reminded himself. Dirk wouldn’t sleep unless prodded and pushed to. Besides, friends could share a bed, the girls did it all the time. Dave did it for crying out loud! Jake didn’t think he’d actually seen the younger Strider sleep in his own room once this semester. Perhaps it was a Strider thing, sleeping in other’s rooms. 

He turned away from his friend to face the wall, closing his eyes to go back to sleep. Dirk’s fingers brushed lightly against his back and he flinched away instinctively, the touch gone faster than it had appeared. Jake concentrated on trying to fall asleep, ignoring the warm shivers that had gone down his spine at the ghost of a touch. It only takes a few seconds for him to fall back asleep, breathing even in the dark room, and waking up alone the next morning.

***

Dirk Strider stares quietly at the back of his best friend, as he sleeps. Feeling about as creepy as it sounded to actually watch people sleep. He sighs and turns his back to the other figure, perfectly aware that he’ll have to detangle himself from Jake when he wakes up in the morning no matter what. Not that he’d ever actually tell Jake that he latches onto Dirk in his sleep, like some sort of touch starved octopus. Because he wants to be able to delude himself for a few moments that Jake is consciously choosing to cuddle him. That maybe they could be more than just bros. That they aren’t sharing a bed just because Jake insists on making sure Dirk sleeps.

Because Dirk Strider, is still very much in love with his best friend.


End file.
